Dispensing system for liquids



Nov. 16 1926.

A. C. MANDEL DISPENSING SYSTEM FOR LIQUIDS Filed Jan. 15, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet & mm m m. W m MV 7 c A a I R m 4 w W 6 R B 6 4 5 A Patented Nov. 16, 1926.

UNITED s ATEs 1,607,165 PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR G. MANDEL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DISPENSING SYSTEM FOR LIQUIDS.

Application filed January 15, 1926. Serial No. 81,411.

This invention relates to dispensing systems for liquids, especially such ofinflam mable or explosive nature. v

It is one of the objects of the invention to 6 operate a system of this kind, which is power driven, in such a manner that the operator may simultaneously control the motive owtem with a dispensing unit located remotely-v from its motive power plant, and to equip this unit with manually operated devices which render'it necessary for thelattendanf to remain at his post while dispensing the liq- 0 uid in order to operate the same, the'funit; automatically ceasing to function as soon as the attendant releases those manually opera ated devices. 7

A further object is use.

A still further object is so 1 ard parts, purchaseable in the open market, 9 in the make-up of the dispensing unit, that its cost of manufacture and maintenance is v I straight passage wluch is opened or'closed reduced to a minimum.

Still further objects will become apparent in the following specification and in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view of a preferred form of the dispensing system; Fig. 2 is a front elevational view, drawn in a larger scale, of a dispensing unit, its.

cover having been removed to show the inner mechanism of the unit;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the dispensing unit along the line 33 in Fig. 2 with its cover in place, showing the operating lever in closed position, its open or working position being indicated in dotted lines;

Fig. 4 shows a fragmentary front elevational view .of the lower part of the dispensing unit, showing particularly the locking mechanism for the operating lever; and

Fig. 5 shows a modified position of the switch mechanism.

Like characters of reference denote similar parts throughout the several views and the following specification.

The system consists, when used for disto. provide thesy i'i 2 tem with simple means which preventtamfl pering with the dispensing unit when notin suitable elbows 26, 26 and 26, T fitting 27,

toutiliz stafidwunion 28, and pipe nipples 29, 29, 29 and pensing asolene or similar inflammable liquids, o broadly an underground storage tank -10,,preferably located below the basement floor of the building or below the sidewalk in front thereof, a pump 11 connected to 'a'moto'r 12, both positioned at a'lev'el above that. of the tank 10, the pump being connected to the tank by a suction pipe 13,

' and a dis pensingfunit 14'which may be 10- "cated atfla floor above that of the pump and motor or any other convenient place. The unit .14.'is connected to the discharge end of tl1e'pump by a pipe 15 and is electrically connected to the motor 12 by wiring 16 and provided with a final dispensing hose 17.. ,Thislay-out is shown diagrammatically in Fig.1.

Describing the dispensing'unit 14 more in detail, reference to Fig. 2 shows a panel 18,

to which is fastened an angle bracket 19 'upon which is mounted a meter 20. This meter-has an inlet branch 21 and an outlet --branch 22, both of which are secured to the track r 19 by suitable hooks 23 and nut 24. '25-'is a gauge atop of the meter 20. The inlet branch 21 of the meter is connected by 29 to the outlet end of a gate valve 30. This gate valve is of conventional construction, having a body 31 provided with a by a disc to which is imparted 'a rocking motion by means of a rocker shaft 32 located in stufiing box 34. At the outer endof the rockor shaft 32 which is squared, is mounted an operating lever 35 which is essentially V- shaped, having one leg 36 shorter than -the other and slightly curved, its extreme end being somewhat enlarged in width at 37, and the other leg 38, which is longer, terminatin in a relatively heavy ball--39. A helica twist spring 49 has one end fastened to the stationary stufiing box 34 of the gate valve and its other end freely resting upon the upper side of the short leg 36 of-the operating lever 35,-exerting a downward pressure against it. Gate valve 30 is fastened to an angle bracket 40 by means of hooks 41 and nuts 41 over pipes immediately adjacentthe body of the valve. 42 is a strainer having its inletend connected to the pipe 15 from the pump and its outlet end to the inlet end of an, off-set portion 33 of the valve body 30,, one end of the shaft projecting outwardly of the body and being provided with a suitable the gatevalve 30 by means of elbows- 43 and usual formof hose clamp 50. 51 is a vent- Valve of the kind which admits air into the discharge branch, as soon as its internal pressure is reduced to that below the atmosphere. F astened to the underside of bracket 19 is a switch 52 which is provided with a button 53 projecting outwardly of its casing. A spring 54 around the stem of button 53 acting against a shoulder 55 of the same keeps the button in the position indicatedin full lines in Fig. 3, in which position the switch does not close a circuit. The electrical connection from the switch 52 is made by wiring 56, protected by a condulet 57 within the unit, and is connected to the starting mechanism of the motor 12 in a manner [ill well known in the art.

The panel 18 is provided with small angle brackets 58 to which is secured a housing 59 which covers the entire mechanism. of the dispensing unit just described. This housing is provided with an opening in its center to expose the face of the gauge. of the meter. At the lower part of the front of the housing is an oblong slot 60 within which the leg 38 of the operating lever 35 travels, the ball-shaped end 39 of the lever being located outside of the housing. 61 is a looking bar for the operating lever .35 hingedly connected atone side to the housing at 62, suitable locking mechanism 63 at its other side keeping it in a locked position.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modified form of switch arrangement which is identical in principle of operation to the one described above, its switch box 52*, however, being mounted directly upon the gate valve body 30. The switch 52 shown in Fig. 2 is of a vapor-proof construction and for that reason is used in systems dispensing gasolene, naphtha, or other highly inflammable liquids, while the switch 52*, shown in Fig. 5, is not vapor-proof and may be used advantageously in the dispensing of less vo atile liquids such as oils, paints, etc. This latter arrangement may also be used, if preferred, without the combination of the meter and gauge.

The operation of the system is as follows:

The dispensing unit is mounted upon a wall or building column in an accessible position from the floor. The locking bar 61 is unlocked and swung outwardly to permit travel of lever 35. The discharge hose 49 is inserted in the automobile tank or other receptacle to be filled. The attendant then pushes upwardly the operating lever 35 which opens the gate valve 30. Simultaneously the shorter leg 36 of the lever 35 engages the button 53 of the switch mechanism 52, compresses spring 54 and closes the switch proper. This completes the starting circuit of the motor 12 which-then starts the pump. Gasolene is thereupon lifted from the underground tank 10, discharged into pipe line 15, forced through strainer 42, gate entire period of filling. Just as soon as the filling operation is completed and the attendant releases the lever, gravity and the spring pulls the lever down and the switch is opened by the spring 54 pressing the but ton 53 outwardly. This breaks the circuit' and stops the motor and the pump. Simultaneously the gate valve 30 is again closed. The vent valve 51 then opens and permits the draining of the discharge hose 17. When not in use, the locking bar 61 is locked in the position indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, so that the lever cannot be manipulated by unauthorized persons.

The system dispenses liquids in a manner far superior to hand pump units. It has a faster delivery, continuous flow, and requires no physical energy to operate it. It can be placed at any convenient point on the walls or the floor of a. building where it occupies very little room. In view of the fact that the attendant must be stationed at the dispensing apparatus in order to operate it and that it automatically stops working, as soon as its operating lever is released, the system is very safe for use with inflammable liquids, because its discharge end is under control of the operator at all times.

While I have shown and described the system as used for dispensing gasolene in It is further understood that various changes in the form, proportions and minor details of construction and assembly may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as new, is i 1. In a dispensing system for liquids including a storage tank, a pump having a garages, it is understood that I do not wish suction line connected to the tank and a discharge line, and a motor adapted tooperate the pump, a gate valve in the discharge line having an oscillatory operating shaft carrying means for opening and closing the said valve, a lever fulcruined upon the said shaft, a push button switch in electrical connection with the said motor adapted to operate its starting circuit, the said lever having two arms converging toward the said shaft, the one arm being adapted, when the said valve is open, to contact with the said switch and close it, and the other arm being of sufficient weight to normally keep the said first mentioned arm from contacting with the said switch and to normally keep the said valve closed.

2. In a dispensing system for liquids including a storage tank, a pump having a suction line connected to the tank and a discharge line, and a motor adapted to operate the pump, a gate valve in the discharge line having an oscillatory operating shaft carrying means for opening and closing the said valve, a lever fulcrumed upon the said shaft, a push button switch, mounted on a housing for the said gate valve, in electrical connection with the said motor adapted to operate its starting circuit, the said lever having two arms converging toward the said shaft, the one arm being adapted, when the said-valve is open, to contact with the said switch and close it, and the other arm having means to normally keep the said first mentioned arm from contacting with the said switch and to normally keep the said valve closed.

3. In a dispensing system for liquids including a storage tank, a pump having a suction line connected to the tank and a discharge line, and a motor adapted to operate the pump, dispensing mechanism in the dischargeline and a housing therefor, the said housing consisting of a back panel and a front cover, the said dispensing mechanism comprising, within the housing, a strainer, a gate valve fastened to the said back panel having an oscillatory operating shaft carrying means for opening and closing. the said valve, a lever fulcrumed upon the said shaft, a meter fastened to the said back panel, a button switch, mounted below the said meter, in electrical connection with the said motor adapted to operate its starting circuit, the said lever having two arms converging toward the said shaft, the one arm being adapted when the said valve is open, to contact with the said switch and close it, and the other arm, projecting outwardly through a slot in the said front cover, having means to normally keep the said first mentioned arm from contacting with the said switch and to normally keep the said valve closed and being adapted to indicate the open or closed position of the valve outside of the said housing.

4. In a dispensing system for liquids including a storage tank, a pump having a suction line connected to the tank and a discharge line, and a motor adapted to operate the pump, dispensing mechanism in the discharge line and a housing therefor, the said housing consisting of a back panel and a front cover, the said dispensing mechanism comprising, within the housing and fastened to the back panel thereof, a strainer, a. gate valve havingan oscillatory operating shaft carrying means for opening and closing the said valve, a lever fulcrumed upon the said shaft, a meter, a push button switch, mounted below the meter, in electrical connection with the said motor adapted to operate its starting circuit, the said lever having two arms converging toward the said shaft, the one arm being adapted, when the said valve is open, to contact with the said switch and close it, and the other arm, projecting outwardly through a slot in the said front cover,

being of sufiicient weight to normally keepthe said first mentioned arm from contacting with the said switch and to normally keep the said valve closed and being adapted to indicate the open or closed position of the valve outside of the said housing, and a lockable bar adapted to prevent movement of the said weighted arm, when the said valve is closed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

ARTHUR C. MANDEL. [1,. 5.] 

